Guyana Charges MV Barima Captain, Two Crew Members With Murder

Georgetown, Guyana: Three senior crew members operating MV Barima have been officially charged with murder in a tragedy that claimed around 73 lives. It is considered the worst ferry incident in the history of Guyana.

The serious legal action comes ten days after the vessel capsized and plunged into Atlantic waters, claiming at least 73 lives and leaving around 30 passengers missing.

The disaster occurred on July 18 when the MV Barima, an 87- year old state operated ferry, left the capital city of Georgetown. It was heading to the town of Port Kaituma in northwestern Guyana.

According to authorities, about 179 passengers and crew members were on board when the ship ran into trouble and sank off the coast. However, official records were poorly managed, as only 133 names were written down on the ship’s official passenger list.

Emergency rescue teams managed to pull 76 survivors out of the water. Search teams have recovered 73 bodies so far, while about 30 people remain missing as search efforts continue in the water.

People who survived the sinking shared disturbing details about the trip:

Overcrowding: Passengers reported that the ferry was carrying far too many people and heavy cargo.

Leaking Water: Survivors said the ancient vessel was taking on water well before it capsized and went down.

Captain Kevin Price, Chief Mate Rondell Dwayne Roberts and Cargo Superintendent Delon Granderson were arrested and brought before a Georgetown court on Tuesday after a fierce ten day preliminary probe.

The three defendants were not asked to enter formal pleas at their first appearance, due to the gravity of the indictable murder charges. All three men were remanded into custody without bail by the presiding judge. They will be held in custody until their next court appearance on August 3.

Investigators point to several major safety failures that directly led to tragedy most notably, the crew allowed the 87-year old boat to sail despite clear warning signs, including serious overloading and reports that the vessel was already taking on water before sinking.

On top of that, there was a dangerous lack of record-keeping, leaving a major discrepancy between the 133 names recorded on the official list and the estimated 179 people who were actually on board. To make matters worse, a medical test taken right after the rescue revealed that Captain Price and at least one other crew member tested positive for marijuana.

As families across Guyana mourn the overwhelming loss of their loved ones, government officials have opened a full inquiry to determine how an unsafe ship was permitted to leave port in the first place.